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Dec 21, 2000
Solstice
The first day of Winter.Not the same as, but not distinct from, the New Year, or Christmas, for that matter. Both holidays articulate the fact of the Solstice, making a metaphor that likens lengthening days to birth: the year’s or something more. For all our materialism, we do not honor the objective occasion of the Solstice, but prefer poetic interpretations.
Astrology over Astronomy.
The Magi knew both.
The star they followed was seen somewhere other than the sky, else Herod wouldn’t have asked of its appearance. He’d have seen it for himself. But if the star was an astrological observation, you can be sure that the Magi also knew the visible heavens, and took the measure of the Solstice. Nor did they distinguish between their science and their art, but used the one to plumb the other.
Wise men, indeed...
Our prognostications are not so sophisticated.
Mostly we look for Christmas snow, and rarely find it. This Winter is coming on strong, though, with some snow already, and more forecast. Then again, we also saw sixty degrees last Sunday, with thunder and lightning and rainbows, so who knows? There’s even a solar eclipse occurring on Christmas, and the fact that I already know about it proves that we have learned to predict some things, after all.
But can we find that star?